The 35th America's Cup started in Portsmouth UK. After all the drama of San Francisco and 34th Cup and the come from behind win of Oracle USA and then the let down of the 35th Cup being sold to Bermuda and the boats downsized to 50 footers, we are back to racing.

Day One saw the UK team take first with a 1st and 2nd finish in the two races with Emirates and Oracle USA finishing 2nd and 3rd with lots of drama and lead changes. The foiling cats are still exciting as ever and the excellent race coverage video overlays and boat cams are still excellent so there is hope despite the downsizing and moving it offshore.

The race can be watched live using the America's Cup App on iTunes or Goggle Play. It's $8 for each event to watch live. For US viewers, you can only watch it on a iPad or Android device not on the website. That makes no sense. For those with Windows tablets, out of luck I suppose.

The French challenge lead by Franck Cammas makes for the required four challengers in order to resolve the situation with Australia Challenger of Record dropping out of over the America's Cup leaving San Francisco and the resulting problems that creates for sponsorship money. Cammas, winner of the Jules Verne trophy in the monster multihull and winner of the Volvo Round the World in monohull represents a credible America's Cup challenger.

If Groupmama provides the basic support, Cammas experience and skills combined with the French manufacturing expertise in multihulls would be a strong challenger for the Cup. One of the issues though is that Cammas is simultaneously trying to place on the French Olympic team for the new Nacra 17 multihull. Both campaigns require 100% commitment and Cammas will have to choose one or the other or likely lose out on both....

Jack Griffin at America's Cup Experience web site has a great proposal for one of the remaining challengers to make a DoG (Deed of Gift) challenge now that Australia has dropped out. Basic terms begin with race must be in San Francisco, which is the main reason everyone thinks Australia pulled out, because the race was inexplicably pulled from San Francisco of the powerful winds and center of the known universe status.

The Challenger of Record, Hamilton Island Yacht Club of Perth Australia dropped out. The America's Cup website has the usual informationless diplomatic comment but news sources say the Australian's dropped out because it was too hard to prepare for with no dates or venues set.

Hamilton Island is blaming Oracle for this but it seems a bit of smokescreen. It looks more like Hamilton Island got in but had no plan for local design or creation of a team. Which is also odd as the hired Ian Murray who ran the last America's Cup in SF and he was completely aware of what it took and setting up of dates. Murray took a lot of heat for exactly what Australia claims it is dropping out for now.

This happened last race with Mascalzone Latino the challenger of record dropped out.

But another reason could be Oracle not going back to San Francisco. That was a shock for everyone who were looking forward to the same big city, big win racing in the media spotlight,...